Strawberry variety named &#39;Evangeline&#39;

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a strawberry plant ( Fragaria ananassa ) named ‘Evangeline’ characterized by its large firm fruit and large flowers. The cultivar exhibits high yield when propagated in the field.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention includes a new and distinct cultivar of Fragariaananassa known by the varietal name ‘Evangeline’, originally designatedas “K93-1”. The new variety resulted from a controlled cross in anongoing breeding program between the strawberry plants. ‘K88-4’ and‘NYUS119’. ‘K88-4’ is an unpatented variety developed by the AtlanticFood and Horticulture Research Centre (a facility of Agriculture andAgri-Food Canada) in Kentville and ‘NYUS119’ is an unpatented varietydeveloped by the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station inGeneva. ‘Evangeline’ was discovered. in 1993 as a seedling in acontrolled breeding plot near Sheffield Mills, Nova Scotia at theSheffield Farm, a field-station of the Atlantic Food and HorticultureResearch Centre, where it was selected and propagated asexually bystolons at the Atlantic Food and Horticulture Research Centre inKentville. Asexual propagules from this original source have beenproduced annually in a greenhouse at the Atlantic Food and HorticultureResearch Centre, Kentville, Canada. ‘Evangeline’ has been tested at theAtlantic Food and Horticulture Research Centre (starting in 1994) andalso, research centres at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island,Buctouche, New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick, and Pynn's Brook,Newfoundland, all of Canada. This propagation and testing hasdemonstrated that the combination of traits disclosed herein whichcharacterize the new variety are fixed and retained true to type throughsuccessive generations of asexual reproduction via stolons.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows plant parts of the new variety, typical in size, shape, andcolor;

FIG. 2 shows the flowers of the new variety; and

FIG. 3 shows primary fruit of the new variety.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following detailed botanical description of the new variety is basedupon measurements and observations taken of plants and fruit grown inKentville, Nova Scotia, Canada. Observations were taken from eachvariety as grown in a side-by-side field trial. Color designations,color descriptions, and other phenotypical descriptions may deviate fromthe stated values and description depending upon variation in theenvironment, seasonal, climatic and cultural conditions, however, it isbelieved that this description will apply to the ‘Evangeline’ plantsgrown in similar conditions of soil and climate elsewhere. Colorreferences are made to the R.H.S. Colour Chart of the RoyalHorticultural Society of London (1966 edition). Descriptive informationon the new variety is presented in Tables 1, 2, and 3. In the tables,the flowers described are secondary flowers. The fruit described is thesecondary fruit of the maiden crop, thirteen or fourteen months afterplanting. The harvest data in Table 4 is based on a complete harvest ofthe crop. The principal differences between ‘Evangeline’ and each of theunpatented variety ‘Veestar’ and ‘Sable’ (patent pending) are set forth.

-   Classification: The new variety is botanically identified as    Fragaria ananassa and commercially classified as a short-day    strawberry.

Plant and foliage characteristics: When propagated in the nursery,‘Evangeline’ runners freely produce similar quantities of runner plantsto ‘Veestar’ and ‘Sable’. Individual plants of ‘Evangeline’ are mediumto large. The plants of ‘Evangeline’ are of medium density with globosehabit and strong vigor. As shown in Table 1, leaf color of ‘Evangeline’,‘Veestar’ and ‘Sable’ are Green Group.137A on the upper surface andlighter Green Group 137C on the under surface. Leaflets of ‘Evangeline’and the reference varieties. are about the same size, shape andconvexity, and leaves of all three varieties have three leaflets. Theleaflet serrations of ‘Evangeline’ are similar in size and number to‘Veestar’ but for ‘Evangeline’ they are more pointed and the tipserration is smaller than for ‘Veestar’. The venation of ‘Evangeline’leaflets is pinnate. Petiole pubescence for ‘Evangeline’ tends to beoriented upwards whereas for ‘Veestar’ and ‘Sable’ pubescence isperpendicular. TABLE 1 Foliar Characteristics for ‘Evangeline’,‘Veestar’ and ‘Sable’ Cultivar Foliar Character ‘Evangeline’ ‘Veestar’‘Sable’ Leaf color Green Group Green Group Green Group Upper surface137A 137A 137A Lower surface 137C 137C 137C Central leaflet Length (mm)Mean 80.3 86.3 79.0 Range 60-93  62-110 70-93 Width (mm) Mean 65.7 68.063.9 Range 47-77 50-85 55-77 Length/width ratio 1.22 1.27 1.24 No.leaflets/leaf 3 3 3 Leaf convexity cupped cupped cupped SerrationsNumber moderate moderate many Size medium medium small Shapesemi-pointed semi-round semi-round Tip serration size small medium smallLeaf pubescence medium medium medium Petiole pubescence Density sparsesparse sparse Direction upwards perpendicular perpendicular

Flower and fruit characteristics: The length of bloom for ‘Evangeline’is about three weeks when grown in Kentville, Nova Scotia, Canada in amatted row cultural system. Flowering for ‘Evangeline’, ‘Veestar’, and‘Sable’ typically begins on May 21 and ends on June 11. As shown inTable 2, the flower truss of ‘Evangeline’ is shorter than for ‘Sable’and opens slightly lower in relation to the canopy. ‘Evangeline’ flowertrusses produce fewer flowers than do the trusses of ‘Veestar’ and‘Sable’. Flowers of ‘Evangeline’ and the reference varieties are white.The anther color is Yellow-Orange Group 17A. Secondary flowers of‘Evangeline’ usually have 5 petals, and ‘Evangeline’ flowers are largerthan those of ‘Veestar’ and ‘Sable’. Petals of ‘Evangeline’ are longerthan wide in contrast to the petals of ‘Veestar’ and ‘Sable’ which arewider than long. Petals of ‘Veestar’ and ‘Sable’ tend to overlap whilethose of ‘Evangeline’ are spaced. Trusses of ‘Evangeline’ are erect atfirst picking and continue to be erect while those of ‘Veestar’ and‘Sable’ are semi-erect becoming prostrate as harvest progresses.‘Evangeline’ has a larger calyx than does ‘Veestar’ and ‘Sable’. Theposition of the calyx is raised for ‘Evangeline’, even with the top ofthe fruit for ‘Veestar’ and often in a basin for ‘Sable’. The calyx iseasily separated from the fruit for all three varieties. The fruit of‘Evangeline’ are larger than for ‘Veestar’ but both are conic in shapewhile the fruit of ‘Sable’ are wider than long giving a cordate shape.The seeds of ‘Evangeline’ are more indented than for ‘Veestar’ and‘Sable’ and ‘Evangeline’ fruit has firmer flesh. The fruit color of‘Evangeline’ varies between the lighter Red Group 45A of ‘Sable’ to thedarker Red Group 46A of ‘Veestar’. The pith of ‘Evangeline’ is lighterthan for ‘Veestar’ and ‘Sable’. The achenes of ‘Evangeline’ areGreen-Yellow Group 1A but darken to Orange-Red Group 34A on the side ofthe fruit when exposed to sunlight. TABLE 2 Flower and FruitCharacteristics for ‘Evangeline’, ‘Veestar’, and ‘Sable’. CultivarCharacter ‘Evangeline’ ‘Veestar’ ‘Sable’ Flower position even or beneatheven (relative to leaf canopy) slightly beneath Flower truss lengthshort-medium short-medium medium-long 23.8 22.6 28.8 cm Number offlowers/truss 5.4 6.9 8.0 Number of petals 5.0 5.5 5.3 Flower size (mm27.9 23.6 25.2 diameter) Flower color White White White Petal length(mm) 11.6 9.2 9.6 Petal width (mm) 10.4 10.3 11.4 Petal spacing spacedslightly slightly overlapping overlapping Calyx size Inner calyx (mmdiam.) 27.7 21.2 24.6 Outer calyx (mm diam.) 28.1 19.7 24.2 Calyxposition raised even even to in a basin Adherence of the calyx weak weakweak Fruit size and shape Length (mm) 30.3 27.5 25.1 Width (mm) 29.125.5 32.0 Length/width ratio 1.04 1.08 0.78 Subjective fruit shape conicto conic to cordate long-conic short-conic Seed position indent evenslight indent Fruit firmness firm soft medium Fruit firmness (N) 3.4 2.83.0 Skin toughness (g) 10.3 8.4 11.6 Color (R.H.S. Colour Chart) CalyxGreen Group Green Group Green Group 137C 137C 137C Fruit exterior RedGroup Red Group Red Group 45A to 46A near 46A 45A Fruit interior PithRed Group Red Group Red Group 41A near 46B 42B Cortex Red Group RedGroup Red Group 45B near 46B 42A

Disease resistance: ‘Evangeline’ and ‘Veestar’ have a similar pattern ofresistance to red stele root rot (Phytophthora fragariae) and they showmuch less resistance than ‘Sable’ which is resistant to the prevalentA-6 race, as shown in Table 3. ‘Evangeline’ is resistant to powderymildew (Sphaerotheca macularis) while ‘Veestar is moderately resistantand ‘Sable’ is susceptible. ‘Evangeline’ and ‘Veestar’ are less affectedby fruit rot (Botrytis cinerea) than ‘Sable’. TABLE 3 Resistance of‘Evangeline’, ‘Veestar’, and ‘Sable’ to races of Phytophthora fragariae(red stele root rot) Cultivar Canadian race American race ‘Evangeline’‘Veestar’ ‘Sable’ C-1 S S I C-2 A-6 S S R C-3 A-4 R R R C-4 A-3 I S RC-5 A-5 S S S C-6 A-7 R R S C-7 S S S C-8 S S SS = Susceptible;I = Intermediate;R = Resistant

Production characteristics: ‘Evangeline’ has been widely tested forseveral years. ‘Evangeline’ has produced moderate yields, generallysimilar to ‘Meestar’ but below ‘Sable’, as shown in Table 4. The percentmarketability of ‘Evangeline’ is generally above the marketability of‘Veestar’ and ‘Sable’. The fruit of ‘Evangeline’ are much larger (byweight) than ‘Veestar’ but similar to ‘Sable’. The mean harvest date for‘Evangeline’ is about the same as ‘Veestar’ or about one day later.Subjectively, the flavor of the fruit of ‘Evangeline’ is rated good tovery good when fully ripe. TABLE 4 Performance of ‘Evangeline’ andVeestar’ or ‘Sable’ for 1997, 1998 and 2000 averaged over severalsites.* Total Yield % Yield Size Mean Harvest (t/ha) Marketable(g/fruit) (day of year) 1997 (five sites) ‘Evangeline’ 4.2 91.7 10.1197.6 ‘Veestar’ 6.4 82.6 8.3 196.8 ‘Sable’ 7.4 87.7 10.7 197.7 1998(four sites) ‘Evangeline’ 5.06 80.1 9.2 186.0 ‘Veestar’ 6.38 71.6 9.4185.4 ‘Sable’ 7.52 72.8 9.7 185.5 1998 (one site) ‘Evangeline’ 11.6196.8 13.2 179.2 ‘Veestar’ 12.04 92.4 8.0 178.3 ‘Sable’ 19.74 87.1 11.7180.3 2000 (three sites) ‘Evangeline’ 6.0 93.1 9.7 192.4 ‘Sable’ 11.587.1 9.6 191.7*Kentville NS, Charlottetown PEI, Fredericton NB, Buctouche NB, andPynn's Brook Nfld. Plants were grown in matted rows and three blocks of3 m long rows were harvested at each site.

1. The new and distinct variety of strawberry plant named ‘Evangeline’as described and illustrated.